Ask the Readers: What Is Your Favorite Frugal Food?

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Tasty food doesn't have to cost a lot. You can save on fresh ingredients at the grocery store, or save time by cooking in large batches, or get creative with leftovers to make a meal last — whatever it takes to get your favorite food on the table!

What is your favorite frugal food? Is it a dish you make yourself, or an ingredient that you often use? Do you have a recipe to share?

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Potato soup made with homemade stock. I save the bones from whole chickens I cook and put them in the freezer until I'm ready to make the stock. Stock I make in bulk and freeze as well, just thaw when ready to make soup.

My favorite frugal food has to a roasting chicken. A big one (oven stuffer). We have dinner right out of the oven, then I pullthe meat off the rest of the bones. This is cubed and used in casseroles, enchiladas, and/or soup. If I'm feeling ambitious the bones go in the slow cooker to make chicken broth for said soup. When I get a "free" turkey around the holidays, I do the same thing, only it takes two slow cookers for the turkey bones. This stretches a chicken to up to six meals for my family.

Boneless pork chops are often $4.00 a pound or more while a whole pork loin will often be on sale for $1.99. I shop for meat on the first Wednesday of the month and receive a 10% Senior Discount, so now we are talking around $1.80 a pound. I very nicely ask the butcher to slice it into 1/2" thick chops which I store in freezer bags two to a bag. (Hey, it worked out OK for Noah.)
EZ Skillet Pork Chops. Sautee' two seasoned boneless pork chops in an iron skillet until they have nice color and remove. Sautee' seasoned frozen peppers and onion mix until onions are opaque. Add pork chops back to pan and a can of diced tomatoes WITH juices. Cover, reduce heat and cook for about 25 minutes adding water or broth if necessary. Serve with brown rice for extra nutritional value. Serves 2.

My current favorite is roasted mixed root vegetables as they've been on sale in our area. Carrots, potatoes, and beets, peeled, chunked, drizzled with olive oil and roasted with a head of garlic. Parsnips, sweet potatoes, and turnips added sometimes, and red peppers if we can get them. Love the colors.

Vegetarian chili is my favorite frugal food to make. The ingredients are readily available year round, they don't cost much, and it usually provides plenty of leftovers. It's easy to make it for meat lovers if you have the extra cash. You can use vegetables you grow yourself (and freeze/can) or from the store. It's also versatile, top a baked potato with chili, place chili over mashed potatoes, chili over rice, and I hear Ohio folks put chili on their spaghetti too.

Hands down: Chickpeas! I get them in cans for as low as 65 cents at my local grocery store and can't get enough of them. They're delicious, nutritious, and versitile. My favorite recipe is to toss them with some flour, cayenne pepper, and oil in a frying pan and use them in a salad. Their texture is unique and they're a great source of protein!

My favorite frugal foods are:
--Bean enchiladas. I cook up a large batch of dried beans (pinto or black) in the crockpot and freeze in separate containers or bags. I buy enchilada sauce when it's on sale or make my own. In addition to the beans I add a little leftover beef, pork or chicken if I have any. Leftover sweet potatoes make a tasty addition, too. I buy cheddar and jack cheese in large blocks on sale, grate it in my food processor, and freeze it in 1 or 2 cup bags. I also freeze tortillas. Then I have everything I need for a frugal meal that my whole family loves.
--Omelets. Eggs are inexpensive sources of protein and very versatile. Omelets are a good way to use up bits of vegetables--red pepper, scallions or onion, fresh spinach. Also a good way to stretch a little bit of bacon, ham, or sausage.
--Fried rice. I buy rice in bulk for savings. When I make a rice side dish, I cook extra to use for fried rice (or rice pudding) the next day. I use leftover pork or chicken, or a few shrimp which I generally have in the freezer or a combination. I add assorted vegetables I have on hand (chopped or julienned broccoli stem is good, along with carrots, green onions, peppers, peas) or some from a bag of frozen mixed vegetables.
--"Garbage" soup. I save odds and ends of vegetables (onion ends; carrot ends, peels and tops; celery leaves and ends; cabbage) in the freezer for soup stock which I make when I have a carcass left from a roasted chicken or turkey. I make up the stock and then turn it into soup with leftover chicken or turkey and vegetables and fresh herbs from the garden. I throw in some sausage or cooked beans if I have them. I add rice, pasta, or frozen tortellini at the end and accompany the soup with cornbread or cheesy biscuits. I often have enough soup left to freeze for future meals. It can be used as a main dish or it can be a first course when the I have extra hungry people to feed or need to stretch a meat main dish to serve more people.

I haven't made real "garbage soup" since my kids moved out! You've inspired me to give it another go. My husband always said "I don't know what it will taste like, but I'm sure it will be good. And it'll be different the next time."

Christie #18

My favorite frugal food is usually pork ribs! Our local store has them for $1.19 a pound sometimes and we stock up and roast them for pulled pork, chimichangas, and other recipes. Our other favorite frugal food is chicken breasts. Our local meat market has them for $1.89 a pound when you buy 40 pounds, so usually my mom and I split that and then have few hours of prep for weeks of chicken breasts all ready to go! With either pork or chicken in the fridge, we can make almost anything for dinner quickly.

homemade hummus - I often skip the tahini because I don't use it in anything else, but I always have chickpeas (would be even more frugal if I started with dried, but I can usually find canned for pretty cheap), garlic, lemon juice & olive oil on hand.

Did you know you can freeze tahini, where it keeps up to a year. It expands when it freezes so leave an inch of headroom in glass or plastic containers.

Jerry #21

Favorite frugal food (not healthiest) is frozen thin crust pizza from the supermarkets. I usually try to score them for less than $4 if I can. The reason why I prefer thin crust is that they cook up faster (10 minutes, saving some oven time and electricity/gas) and they have more consistency across brands (versus the rising dough versions which vary wildly). But do try to pair it with a salad and some fruits...

Every other week I make a batch of quinoa, black bean and corn salad. It's seasoned with cumin and chili pepper, and for whatever reason it satisfies my hunger better than most any other food. Quinoa isn't the cheapest ingredient, but it's an inexpensive meal accounting for all the snacks between meals I can skip.

Tofu. It's super versatile, and super cheap. Break down a block and firm tofu, sautee with some olive oil, veggies, and spices for a scrambled egg-like dish. Or blend smooth tofu in a smoothie to make it extra filling. Or slice it and bake it to replace meat in a sandwich (marinate first for flavor. I like soy sauce and lemon juice with pepper).

The ever versatile potato is our favorite frugal food. Make them fried, mashed, baked, boiled, scalloped, french fried, or into soup and that's just for starters. They can also be served as the main course if baked and topped with fixings. Yum.

1) Cover the bottom of a sauce pan with olive oil and place on medium heat.

2) When the olive oil is shimmering add the onions and stir cooking until they soften. Add about 3 tablespoons of butter and the tomatoes which have been quartered. Yes, I worship Paula! Once the butter melts and you have coated the onions well, stir in the about a teaspoon each of the spices. Carefully taste and adjust the spices. Salt and pepper if needed.

3) Add half of the cold, leftover tagliatelle and garlic and toss to thoroughly coat with the oil and butter mixture. Add the remaining half of pasta and toss to coat and mix the two portions of pasta well. Allow the pasta to warm up with the pot on the stove.

4) Once you place it in your bowl just sprinkle some cheese over it as I did here!

So much better than fast food and tastier!

3) Add half of the cold, leftover tagliatelle and garlic and toss to thoroughly coat with the oil and butter mixture. Add the remaining half of pasta and toss to coat and mix the two portions of pasta well. Allow the pasta to warm up with the pot on the stove.

4) Once you place it in your bowl just sprinkle some cheese over it as I did here!

Any type of beans - I use canned chickpeas for homemade hummus and dried bulk kidney beans for red beans and rice. They're cheap and add nutrition to any meal, so I always keep dried or canned ones around.

I love lentil brown rice casserole: onions, garlic, oregano or fresh herbs, homemade vegetable stock or bouillon, dried lentils and uncooked brown rice (rinsed, of course), salt and pepper, and usually a splash of white wine from the homebrew my partner's grandparents give us. Everything gets mixed into a casserole dish and goes into the oven for an hour. Then, when it comes out, we top it with a little cheese and pop it under the broiler for a few minutes.

The dish usually costs less than $5 and serves us for multiple meals. Because the rice and lentils cook in the oven, it's also a major timesaver. Last week, we made it in the crockpot. Even better!

Stir fry, one chicken breast bought on sale, rice that you buy in bulk, and broccoli mixed with some sauces you have on hand. Not only inexpensive but quicker and healthier than fast food and only one pot to clean.

I buy dried beans, bulk, from my local food coop when they are on sale. I submerge them in water overnight, then switch to fresh water to cover and slow cook them until they are done, together with onions and thyme.

After they cool to room temperature, I freeze them in individual containers. Then I defrost/microwave them whenever I feel a need for hearty, healthy satisfying beans.

Use all your left over veggie scraps to make a lovely veggie stock. The mix matzoh meal and 2 eggs, 1T of oil. Chill mixture for 15 minutes. The form in balls and drop into veggie stock. Delicious, quick and inexpensive.

Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add a generous amount of salt and stir in the noodles. Cook
according to package instructions; drain and rinse well under cold running water.
Meanwhile, whisk the ramen flavor packets, peanut butter, vinegar, soy sauce and chili sauce in a large bowl until smooth. Add the drained noodles, and with tongs, toss until coated with the dressing. Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

My favorite frugal go-to for years has to be ramen noodles. Used as a base, I can add anything else that's lying around.....veg, left-over meats, or whatever....and come up with a tasty meal. A great comfort food.

spaghetti! i bought target brand sauce and pasta with coupons (1 dollar total for a jar of sauce and box of pasta). I jazz it up by sataying some mushrooms, green peppers, sometimes corn or squash and ( whatever vege i have at home) and add it to the sauce. extra nutrition and tastes fancy. sprinkle with cheese and cilantro, who needs the restaurant.

Pasta - with whatever veggies are in season on top! So good all year round, the flavors always change with the seasons. I stock up on pasta - especially WW/ high fiber - when there are good sales and coupons.

My dad was Filipino so growing up our default belt-tightening meal was fridge fried rice. Some eggs, some leftover rice and whatever leftover veggies and proteins were in the fridge or pantry. The beautiful thing was if there were no "leftovers" a can or bag of mixed veg and the basic rice and eggs could serve the full family.

Take some boneless, skinless chicken breasts, spice them to taste, and slice them with a knife right in the middle (so that you're cutting long-ways). Stuff the center with shredded mozzarella, bake for about 10-15 minutes, take it out, cover it with pasta sauce (either home-made or store bought, your choice. Also spiced to taste), and place sliced mozzarella on top. Bake another 10-15 min, or until center is fully cooked.

Take three 6" corn tortillas sauté each in a small fry pan with a little butter. Set aside.
Prepare you favorite cole slaw. Heat a can of your favorite refried beans.
Fill each warmed tortilla with refried beans. One tablespoon of cole slaw. Top with a taco sauce or salsa. Mexican cheese may also be added. Roll up and top with more taco sauce.
Served with extra beans and coleslaw on the side makes mine a "Delicious Poor Man's Dinner"

Eggs! As a kid I thought they were gross and refused to eat them. Then I got my own place and realized protein is expensive!! Now I eat them almost everyday and eat meat very sparingly. They are cheap, versatile and delish.

Steel cut oats! I buy them from the bulk foods section and cook a pretty big batch to eat throughout the week. I love adding different nuts, fruits, spices, and even shredded coconut. And it makes a delicious, filling, satisfying breakfast.

Eggs! Eggs are versatile, cheap, and a great source of protein. You can enjoy eggs in any meal, and you can be creative enough with them to avoid monotony. Frittatas, huevos rancheros, egg drop soup, omelettes, hard boiled as a snack or on a salad - the list goes on!

Honey Nut Cheerios is my preference, but I can get much more for my money by purchasing the Safeway brand of Honey Nut knockoff, and get way more cereal for much less money. The ingredients are nearly identical, so buying the cheaper cereal saves me a lot of money. Another highly frugal yet nutritious food I buy is bananas. Bananas are said to be the perfect food. I buy them very green, in bunches of 4 or 5, then slice them up on my cheap cereal, along with a handful of store brand raisins. Overall, I have great luck with buying store brands and generics. Food manufacturers really rip people off: Take one big potato for 2 cents, slice it into chips and sell that same potato for $4 a bag. No way.

We've got a LOT of beans. Cans and cans and cans of beans. I've experimented a little, and have come up with a frugal, simple, and quick meal -- bean burritos. I cook the beans on the stove -- throw in some minced onions and some cinnamon (yes! my secret ingredient), mash them up, spoon them onto a tortilla with some shredded cheese, and you're good to go. Jalapenos and sour cream are a bonus! :)

Muesli for lunch:
I mix a half banana, half apple, 1 cup of yoghurt, 4 ESP shredded oats or muesli mix or other muesli components and take in a jar for lunch to my office.

If I have other fruit, great. Other than kiwi all is good for the mix. Kiwi will make it bitter.
If I have frozen fruit, great. They will keep it cold till lunchtime, even if I don't have access to a fridge.
If I have brown bananas, great. I freeze them in pieces and use some pieces for the mix.